Top 50 albums you should own: 50 – 41

50. Pink Floyd – ‘A Saucerful of Secrets’.

Probably the most overlooked of all the Pink Floyd LPs, which is surprising seeing as it features Syd’s Floyd swansong. Picking up where Piper at the Gates of Dawn left off, this cut is super psyche heavy, and nodding towards the creation of prog with tracks like ‘Let There Be More Light’ and ‘Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun’. ‘Remember a Day’ and ‘Corporal Clegg’ are vintage Floyd, complete with superbly sneered vocals over wacked out gluey psychedelia. Of course, most go straight for ‘Jugband Blues’, Syd’s final Pink Floyd contribution, but don’t be fooled into thinking that the Floyd went garbage after the crazy diamond left. BUY IT

49. The Pretty Things – SF Sorrow

Everyone says that The Who were the first to get to the golden status of concept album makers. Wrong. Arguably, the brilliant Pretty Things were first in line with their magnificent psych masterpiece, SF Sorrow. Perhaps missing the big single to make it carry worldwide, The Pretty Things never reached a mass audience, but unlike others, have aged incredibly well. Lead track, SF Sorrow is Born is a tour de force with incredible screeching wah’ed guitars and a summery shuffle of acoustics and mellotrons. No collection is complete without this album. BUY IT

48. Kraftwerk – Radioactivity

Another great LP overlooked in favour of poppier numbers, Radioactivity is the undeniable proof that most modern electronic pop came from the great German minds at the helm of the Kraftwerk music making machine. Airwaves, a track seldom plucked out for reappraisal is one of the finest pop songs you’re likely to ever hear. It has three part harmonies, infectious basslines, and the usual mechanical steely rhythms associated with one of the few artists that deserve to called genius. BUY IT

47. John and Beverley Martyn – Stormbringer

A beautiful piece of work that is again overlooked in favour of lesser albums (namely Solid Air). Strombringer, upon impact feels like a classic LP that (surely) every home owns. Of course, this isn’t true. What is stunning about this LP is the timeless feel. The drums and backbones feel new, and almost hip-hop like in places, with superlative jazz breaks woozily swaying under folk in effortless freefall. The title track is one of those tunes that feels immediately familiar, and is catchier than the mumps. Upbeat, positive and funky as hell… how many folk LPs can claim that? BUY IT

46. Notwist – Neon Golden

Notwist, a german rock group, got together with electronica master The Opiate, to create one of the most enduring albums of recent years. A deadpan delivery (not unlike Can or Kraftwerk) coupled with incredibly inventive arrangements sit lazily on top of complicated syncopated rhythms. Most people attempting to fuse Aphex Twin styled productions with guitar music often fail… and miserably… but this LP shows that when it works, it’s incredibly difficult to resist. Give in to this and treasure it for life. BUY IT

45. Bert Jansch – Bert Jansch

This LP caused a fair old stink on it’s release in the 60s. Why? Who gives a shit when it sounds this great. Containing some of Jansch’s most famous numbers (Strolling Down the Highway and Needle of Death), Jansch gives a masterclass in troubadour folk. It’s sparse, friendly, paranoid, lush, intimate, grand… it a perfect introduction for those wanting to dip a toe into one of Britain’s greatest ever singer/songwriters. BUY IT

44. Velvet Underground – Loaded

One of the VU’s most accessible works is usually sniffed at by virtue of the fact that it’s pretty tuneful. Reminder to readers – there is nothing wrong with a great tune. Loaded sees Lou Reed drop his guard (a little) and come up with the magnificent ‘Sweet Jane’ which is pure trashy rock and roll, which isn’t a million miles away from his Transformer LP. Who Loves the Sun is probably the Velvets are their most cheery, and anyone living without the tune needs to sort it out quick. A marvellously chipper album. BUY IT

43. Lone Pigeon – Concubine Rice

If you haven’t heard this album, you’re missing out on one of the finest pocket matchbook symphonies ever created. A sprawling mass of Beatle-esque melodies peer through sepia tinged songs which wander off before turning into home-made folk treasures. This can happen mid song in many cases. Lone Pigeon, formerly of the Beta Band and now The Aliens, seemingly spliced together hundreds of self produced cassettes to make one of the most charming long players you’ll ever heard. Lyrically clever, musically inventive, and a must have for lovers of things from the fringes of pop. BUY IT

42. Lee Hazelwood – Trouble is a Lonesome Town

‘Trouble’ is possibly the funniest album ever recorded. Hazelwood’s tar black wit recalls tales from a fictional town on top of the wiry acoustic country/folk and takes you on a journey through his brilliant mind. The front cover gives you a perfect snapshot of the content when it says "You won’t find it on any map, but take a step in any direction and you’re in Trouble". If you have never heard Ugly Brown, you need to rectify it immediately. BUY IT

41. Dirty Fan Male

Probably the filthiest LP you’ll ever hear in your life, Johnny Trunk and his pal Wisbey recorded this collection of bizarre and hilarious fan club letters to porn stars to create an album so funny that you might actually stop breathing on first listen. From tales of the Elvis look-alike (who is "the unluckiest guy in the world") to the terrifying ‘Martin’ with his secret passwords and coding systems, Dirty Fan Male is guaranteed to provoke pant wetting laughter and much discussion. Once you’ve heard it, you’ll never be the same. Complete and utter genius. BUY IT